Antifriction insert for leaf springs



J. C. WHITE ANTIFRiCTION INSERT FOR LEAF SPRINGS Aug. 14, 1923. v

Filed y 26; 1921 AEZ ' PatentedAng. 14-, 1923.

JOHN 0. WHITE, or BOWLING GREEN, OHIO.

v.AN'JI'J IIERICTIDN INSERT FOR LEAF SPRINGS.

Application filectliay 26, 1921. 'Serial No. 472,881.

i To all whom it may concern:

' specification.

citizen of the United States, residing at Bowling Green, in the county of Wood and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Antifriction Inserts for Leaf Springs, of which the following is a Be it known that I, JOHN C. WHITna This inventionrelates to antifriction inserts for springs and has forone of 1ts ob- ]ectsthe pro-vislonofa bearingretalner 1n the form of a single metallic strip carrying at close intervals anti-friction bearings which float in individual pockets cut in said strip. v a f 'Another object of the invention is to provide an anti-friction insert comprising a retaining strip having pockets in which bearings are retained, in which the thickness of the strip is so nearly the diameter of the bearings that, when said insert is inserted between two spring leaves, the space between the upper surface of said strip and an adjacent spring leaf will be just suflicient to support and maintain an oil film which will effectively seal the bearing against the intrusion of dust and which may be fed by its own surface tension from lubricant contained in thepockets.

Other objects will be disclosed as the description proceeds.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a. front elevation of a leaf spring with my improved device inserted between the leaves.

Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the roller bearing inserts.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional-view through part of the strips shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a modification of my improved device in which a flat strip of fabric is laid on each side of the insert.

Figure ,6 is a detail viewof a spring with the modification shown in Figure 5 inserted between the leaves.

In the drawing, in which like numerals are used to designate the same parts in the several figures, I designates'the general assemblage of a vehicle spring consisting of a series of overlaid leaves 2 secured together intermediate their ends bya bolt 3 passing through a hole in each leaf, and secured to a body member 4: of the vehicle by the U-bolts 5. The lowermost leaf is formed at its outer ends with eyes, by means of which it is connected to the usual spring shackles, not shown.

Between the several leaves of the spring illustrated in Figure 1 are shown strips 7 of myroller bearing insert, one unit of which is shown in detail in Figures 2, 3 and a.

This insert comprises a thin strip 8 made of any suitable substance, preferably metal, punched in the center with a hole 9 for the reception of the bolt 3 when the insert is put in place, and provided at intervals on either side of the center with rectangular pockets 9 extending entirely through the strip as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Within the pockets 9 are anti-friction bearings 10, floatably retained, that is they are not mounted at all, but free to move either longitudinally'or transversely as they may be impelled by the leaves of the spring action. The bearings are shown as roll- .ers but 1t is obvious that balls might be substituted therefor Without departing from the invention.

An important feature of the invention is V. the construction by which the thickness of the strip 8 is almost as great as the diameter of the rollers 10, so that when the device is placed between the two leaves, a very narrow space is left between the upper surface of the strip and the lower surface of the spring leaf next above. This space is of such size as to permanently maintain or drawan oil film by theprinciple ofsurface tension when put in communication with a source of lubricant. The pockets are appreciably longer and wider than the bearings and are adapted to be filled with lubricant when the device is to be assembled. This will be drawn out by surface tension of the oil film and will replenish said film as the latter becomes exhausted.

The movement ofthe bearings from side .to side within the pockets may assist in forcmerely force the lubricant around the ends.

of said bearings from one side to the other within the pockets. In this way the lubr1- cant wilh be used only as needed andthev supply in the pockets Will notbe quicklyexhausted. It is probable that the slight flexsupply of lubricant in the pockets 9.

ion of the spring leaves between-adjacent rollers creates suction and to some extent assists in replenishing; the oil film from the latter packers "and bearings are; isolatedftroni ac-- cess of dust. I i

5 spring ""Inth modification shown in Figures 5 and 6 the space between the insertjl and leaves is occupied by a flat stripof fabr'ic'oriother absorbent material ,to act as Wick in assistingfthe spread ot oil filiia' and aid more positively 1n' the'e Xelu{ "sion' of dust from the roller bearings." 'The fabric'strip I rnay be sol d attached to the'inl coveri sert an the rollers, thus form a satisfactory means for retaining the" rollers in P1210 th lj of the insrt until the latter isput in place betweentfwo leaves of a spring. The rollers will then quickly ear through that part of the fabric whioh'covers them and function directly against the surfaces of the'adjacent spring leaves.

' *It is obvious that the specific 'detailsof 7 construction and configuration of parts de scribed herein may he modified in various overlaid resilient leaves, anti-friction bear ways yritliout' sacrificingthe advantages of the invention or departing trom the scope u thereof as defined in the appended claims.

WhatIclaim is:- 7

1. A spring comprising a plurality of ings' interposed between two of said leznges a: reta n ng strip for said bearlngs oi uni- ,form thickness havlng bearing apertures of sufficient width to permit limited travel oi said bearings, the upper surface ot said strip ace ht leafbythe bearings theproper dis.

:sp'aced t'r onil'the' lower surface of the hr e z eiete 1 film her b we 12. A spring comp i a a plurality of oi'rjerlla id lea-vesandan anti-friction insert nterposed between tWo ofosaid leaves,,said

g nsert 'icmnprising a flat strip of u'nifo'rmr thwkees 11mins p r ur s lt reth s arranged at 1nteryals; sa1 d aperturesiservmg ,P ea gebeies 'f hfi e eet r h ckn i Qthan the thickness of the, strip so that h upper surfa'ce'of the 'stripl'andthelower surface of the adjacentspring leafare separated th efproper distance to support an oil film replenished by surface tension frorn the sup- An anti-fr of V uniform thickness having rectangular "apertures unched the'rertrough at intervals thi "mo ma in said; apertures, and: capable fof lirnited trarel er said aperturespsaid hear; rags stinger slight y, greate diameter "than the thicknlssof between said strip and the, adj accnt of a spring leat will be merely wide enou h td'hefpacked by anloil' i 7 4. Ai'n anti-friction insert for leat springs ianiiri tegral iii'etallic' flat strip of uniform thickness havin'g' rectangular aperarms puiiclied thret'liroiigh at iint ervals rhreughoar its length; roller bearings Iflo'at; ably retained in said apertures, said bear ings being of slightly greateridiamerer than the thickness o f 'the'st ri sojthat the space between {said istri'pfand the "adj acen't "surface of spring 1e a-f' ,tvill. be merel Wide enough ft'or'rn'ed uniform thickness throughout their length and havlng' ;tran'sverse apertures therethrough andextenlding partially I to tliedges otthef'spacers, cylindrical rolloughout its-length; rollerfbearings floathe strip so that the 's p'a'ce surface ,ers loosely contained]n ithin the'apertures 'said' "hpertnresf'fbeing" of g such F width and T161 gth as to allow: relative movement {be tiv en the rolle'r 'T-fand the spacers, saidjrolh ors, havlng theirdiametersslightl'y greater than the thickness"o'f 'the spacers whereby.

in assembled conditioniia srhjall portion of are ripper 'peri hry'ereacr 'roueris'vasipis,

between its spacer ,and thef sprinzfthere} 'abovejsiibstari any set forth' testini'o'ri thereon havethereunto set my Hana ifi preseaeejef trio subscribing -YYi Iee Q i .Witne'ss es: e

Gl CHISUCJY Ge -u We QN Ie- WHI E s 

